A service provider can provide Internet access and telephone services to end user devices (e.g., televisions, computers, and telephones) via telephone lines (e.g., twisted wire cables) of a telephone network. The Internet access and telephone services may be provided over the telephone network via digital subscriber line (DSL) connections. As an alternative, Internet access and telephone services can be provided via a coaxial cable network. The coaxial cable network connects a central office of a service provider to end user devices via coaxial cables. The telephone network can include power splitters and transfer power between a service provider and end user devices. The coaxial cable network can include power amplifiers. The power splitters and power amplifiers are used to increase and/or maintain signal strength over extended distances. Communication speeds of the telephone network and the coaxial cable network are limited especially over a “last mile” of a network to an end user device. This is referred to as the “last mile problem”.
To resolve the last mile problem, a passive optical network (PON) can provide high-speed (e.g., greater than 1 giga-bit per second (Gbps)) broadband communication speeds over the “last mile” of a network to an end user device. A PON can include passive splitters that are not powered. A PON does not transfer power between a service provider and the passive splitters. In September of 2009, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) approved an Ethernet PON (EPON) standard, which is directed to providing a downstream communication speed of 10 Gbps for data and an upstream communication speed of 10 Gbps or 1 Gbps. Downstream communication refers to transfer of data from an optical line terminal of a service provider to an optical network device (sometimes referred to as an optical network unit). The optical network device can be located in a residential or commercial building, can be used as a cable modem, and can be connected to an end user device. Upstream communication refers to transfer of data from the optical network device to the optical line terminal.
Since the approval of the EPON standard, the deployment of EPON devices has been gradually expanding, mainly in residential and commercial areas with new construction. In most areas where residential and commercial buildings are established and equipped with coaxial networks, the cost of installation for EPON devices has prevented upgrading to the EPON standard.